“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Benjamin Franklin used this phrase while advocating for fire prevention measures in the 1700s. In today’s classrooms, it still rings true. A proactive approach to classroom management benefits both teachers and students. Meet our acronym, PHRASE, which stands for Positive interactions, High expectations, Routines, Authentic relationships, actionable Strategies, and Engaging lessons. We believe PHRASE addresses 85% of the issues facing teachers today. Before we dive into each element of PHRASE, you may be wondering, what about the other 15%? We are glad you asked! There will always be 10-15% of students who require outside interventions to address behaviors. Reaching out for support from a specialist (behavior coach, counselor, case manager, administrator) is not a sign of weakness, it is courageous. We speak from experience. Asking for support from our counselors, with one of our classes, (Yes! The whole class!) remains one of our most humbling (and successful) experiences. Education is a team effort.
With that framing in mind, let’s explore each element of PHRASE.
Positive Interactions:
“The person yelling, is not the one in control.” -BensonVoss
Creating a positive classroom environment requires positive interactions. This includes establishing respectful boundaries and setting clear expectations, for both teachers and students.
- Respect:
- Do: Model respectful behavior.
- Don’t: Assume students know what you expect.
- Empathy and Validation:
- Do: Acknowledge your student’s feelings, even if you disagree.
- Don’t: Dismiss a student’s thoughts or feelings.
- Positive Reinforcement:
- Do: Offer positive, specific praise; use their names often, genuinely, and in a timely manner.
- Don’t: Settle for generic accolades or fail to acknowledge small accomplishments or behaviors.
High Expectations:
“You never truly know what your students hold in their hearts, minds or what their life experiences have been. Be their cheerleader.” -BensonVoss
Rosenthal and Jacobson’s (1968) study demonstrated a significant impact of teacher expectations on student performance. The Pygmalion effect is based on the idea that students internalize the expectations placed on them by their teacher, and then perform in a way that fulfills those expectations. Having high expectations for your students, and believing they can reach them, is key.
- Authentic Encouragement:
- Do: Encourage students in and out of the classroom.
- Don’t: Ignore small victories.
- Set Realistic Goals:
- Do: Make expectations clear and achievable.
- Don’t: Expect perfection.
- Perspective:
- Do: Give every student the luxury of a clean slate, every day; give them a voice and remind them that they are a valued member of the class community.
- Don’t: Form an opinion about a student, based on the opinions of others.
Routines:
“Make it your routine to start every conversation or email, with two positive things, before addressing the negative. If you cannot find two positive traits about each student, consider you may not have gotten to know them, or you may have a preconceived notion.” -BensonVoss
It took us five years to solve the problem of wasted time (computer games, YouTube, messaging, checking email/grades) while logging into our daily Focus activity. The answer was simple, establish a routine! Having students turn their laptops toward the front, immediately after logging in, solved the problem.
- Practice:
- Do: Practice and positively reinforce routines until they become automatic.
- Don’t: Expect automaticity without practice and consistency.
- Provide Free Time Choices:
- Do: Provide options for early finishers.
- Don’t: Expect students to sit quietly without options.
- Transitions:
- Do: Give students time to adequately prepare for a transition.
- Don’t: Abruptly change activities or underestimate the need for preparation time.
Authentic Relationships:
“Email or call early and frequently, to tell students’ grown-ups that you are excited to have their student in your class. The trick is to mean it!” -BensonVoss
The importance of authentic, positive relationships between teachers and students cannot be overstated. Taking time to truly “get to know” your students, makes all the difference
- Active Listening:
- Do: Show genuine interest in the student’s perspective.
- Don’t: Form an opinion before listening and considering carefully.
- Greet at the Door:
- Do:
- Personally greet your students at the door daily.
- Be excited to welcome them.
- Focus on positive character traits and work ethic rather than appearance. Create a list, available online, and refer to it when you are not sure what to say.
- Don’t: Expect a response. They may not know how to respond. Don’t be discouraged, they hear you.
- Do:
- Outside the Classroom:
- Do: Personally greet/encourage/compliment your students in the hallway, before school, and in the cafeteria.
- Don’t: Ignore your students outside the classroom.
Strategies:
“Remain calm. Eyes, facial expressions and body language scream your thoughts, even when you are silent.” -BensonVoss
Actionable Strategies take time, effort, and consistency to be successful. It is imperative to note that the goal of successful classroom management is not perfection. We all have bad days; grant grace to yourself and to your students.
- Talking Back:
- Do: Acknowledge student’s feelings, restate the expectation, and offer a choice.
- Don’t: Raise your voice, engage in a power struggle, or dismiss the student’s concerns.
- Attempting to Leave Class Without Permission:
- Do: Calmly address the student, ask for the reason, and offer a solution or compromise.
- Don’t: Yell, threaten, or shame the student.
- Falling Asleep During Class:
- Do: Check on the student’s well-being, offer a quiet space to rest, or adjust the class environment by offering a brain break.
- Don’t: Shame the student, assume negative behavior, or ignore the issue.
- Disruptions:
- Do:
- Wait for an appropriate time to ask questions about the behavior.
- Specifically praise students who are on task, by name.
- Use proximity.
- Respectfully address disruptions; save their pride because if we do not, they will.
- Ask thoughtful questions (How can I support you?) and listen carefully to responses.
- Don’t: Shame the student, assume negative behavior, or ignore the issue.
- Do:
Engaging Lessons:
“Your brain shifts into ‘learning gear’ when you move!” -BensonVoss
Engaging lessons go beyond traditional teaching methods to create a dynamic and interactive learning environment. By incorporating interactive activities, real-world examples, and opportunities for student collaboration, we can foster a deeper understanding of the material.
- Problem-Solving Together:
- Do: Involve students in finding solutions to challenges.
- Don’t: Rely on negative consequences.
- Growth Mindset:
- Do: Praise effort and perseverance. Promote progress over perfection.
- Don’t: Assume students have had good experiences in school.
- Plan Purposefully:
- Do: Provide opportunities for movement, collaboration, discussion, and problem solving.
- Don’t: Do what you have always done. Your plans should be dynamic.
PHRASE, Positive interactions, High expectations, Routines, Authentic relationships, actionable Strategies, and Engaging lessons, is designed to prevent the difficulties with classroom management, that frustrate educators and contributes to the current educator shortage.
With our PHRASE in mind, here are a few examples of tactile interventions we’ve found effective in our classroom:
Linking Cubes to Develop Impulse Control
Give student(s) 5 linking cubes as an incentive NOT to speak out of turn. The student can earn points based on how many cubes they have at the end of each class. You can discreetly take a cube when they speak out at an inappropriate time. A predetermined # of points earns a predetermined reward.
Digital Seating Chart
This strategy can be used to improve classroom management and to support students’ learning needs. Create a dynamic, digital seating chart for each class. This allows seating charts to be easily displayed electronically and allows real-time decisions. Changes may be needed due to vision/hearing deficits, off-task behaviors, or instructional needs. You can offer students the option to email seating requests, with the understanding that all decisions are made in the interest of the whole class’s success.
Brain Breaks:
Strategy to break up mundane tasks or to address an overwhelmed class. Our favorite is a quick Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament. Keep slides handy for use at just the right time!
We are not immune to these frustrations. We remind each other to give each student a fresh start every day. Doing that is not as easy as it sounds and it often takes one of us to “pump up” the other with statements like, “You are the grown-up, you can do it!” “Forgive and forget!” “Remember, they are going through puberty!” We also remind each other to forgive ourselves if we fall short, knowing that even educators are not perfect. By establishing a safe place to learn, where mistakes can be made without fear, and each student is valued, educators create a positive and supportive classroom environment, where all teachers and students can thrive.
Amber Benson and Ruby Voss, aka BensonVoss, are an 8th grade math co-teaching team at Northside Middle School in Roanoke Virginia and the 2022 Middle School Educator of the Year.